WASHINGTON:
Blasting Donald Trump for his failed leadership, Indian-origin Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris has called him a “President who turns tragedies into political weapons”.
Harris, 55, scripted history on Wednesday by becoming the first Black and Indian descent individual to be nominated as a vice-presidential candidate of a major political party.
“Donald Trump”s failure of leadership has cost lives and livelihoods,” Harris said in her acceptance speech before virtual Democratic National Convention.
Last week, she was picked by Joe Biden, the presidential nominee of the Democratic party as his running mate. Biden will deliver his acceptance speech Thursday night.
“We must elect a president who will bring something different, something better, and do the important work. A president who will bring all of us together—Black, White, Latino, Asian, Indigenous—to achieve the future we collectively want,” Harris said, making a passionate plea before Americans to vote them to power in the November presidential elections. “We must elect Joe Biden. I knew Joe as Vice President. I knew Joe on the campaign trail. But I first got to know Joe as the father of my friend,” she said.
Alleging that right now, the US has “a president who turns our tragedies into political weapons,” Harris said that Biden will be a president who turns our challenges into purpose.
“Joe will bring us together to build an economy that doesn’t leave anyone behind. Where a good-paying job is the floor, not the ceiling. Joe will bring us together to end this pandemic and make sure that we are prepared for the next one,” she said.
“Joe will bring us together to squarely face and dismantle racial injustice, furthering the work of generations. Joe and I believe that we can build that Beloved Community, one that is strong and decent, just and kind. One in which we all can see ourselves,” Harris said.
Harris – the daughter of immigrants from India and Jamaica – pledged that she and Biden would revive the country fractured by the coronavirus pandemic and racial tension. “And while this virus touches us all, let’s be honest, it is not an equal opportunity offender. Black, Latino and Indigenous people are suffering and dying disproportionately. This is not a coincidence. It is the effect of structural racism,” she said. “The injustice in reproductive and maternal health care. In the excessive use of force by police. And in our broader criminal justice system. This virus has no eyes, and yet it knows exactly how we see each othe r— and how we treat each other. And let’s be clear — there is no vaccine for racism. We’ve gotta do the work,” she added.
She also attacked Trump on the protests that followed after the death of George Floyd.
“For George Floyd. For Breonna Taylor. For the lives of too many others to name. For our children. For all of us. We’ve gotta do the work to fulfill that promise of equal justice under law.
“Because, none of us is free…until all of us are free… We”re at an inflection point. The constant chaos leaves us adrift. The incompetence makes us feel afraid. The callousness makes us feel alone. It”s a lot,” Harris said.
“And here”s the thing: We can do better and deserve so much more,” she said.
Harris pledged to act boldly and deal with the challenges honestly.
“That’s the vision that our parents and grandparents fought for. The vision that made my own life possible. The vision that makes the American promise—for all its complexities and imperfections—a promise worth fighting for. Make no mistake, the road ahead will not be easy. We will stumble. We may fall short,” Harris said.
“We will speak truths. And we will act with the same faith in you that we ask you to place in us,” Harris said.
